


Calling Bluffs

by azhdarchidaen



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types
Genre: Aromantic, Aromantic Character, Asexual Character, Asexuality, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 21:59:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3871255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azhdarchidaen/pseuds/azhdarchidaen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Leia can't come along on a routine mission, Han doesn't think much of it. He, Luke, and Chewbacca should still be able to complete the objective just fine, shouldn't they? With extra time to tease the kid over his very apparent disappointment. </p>
<p>But when the mission -- and the teasing -- starts to go awry, Han realizes it might be time for him to re-examine the hand he's been trying to play with.</p>
<p>(Written for Asexy April 2015)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chance

Han scanned the crowded hangar area of the Alliance’s newest base, impatiently searching the restless mass of people for a particular mop of sandy-blonde hair. Next to him, Chewbacca made a similarly frustrated sound.

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered. “Soon as the kid shows up we can leave -- assuming you checked up on those repulsors. I don’t like hanging around in this mess any more than you do.”

And “mess” was accurate. Maybe even generous.

Since Yavin, the rebels had been base-hopping too frequently to ever really get organized before they got the order to pack up again. And lurking on backwater planets with less-than-forgiving terrain wasn’t helping anyone, organizationally or otherwise. Gear, vehicles, and people alike were taking a beating. Hell, he’d had to pull Luke in particular from enough swampy deathtraps on scouting missions here alone to really learn to hate hiding places like this. You’d think someone who’d grown up on a desert planet would manage to have less of a talent for walking into every body of shallow water from here to Naboo.

Needless to say, it made supply runs like the one he, Chewie, and Luke somehow gotten recruited into making a necessity.

“Han!” came a cheerful shout, breaking him out of his thoughts. Speak of the devil -- the kid was bounding up to meet them, an excessive grin plastered across his face.

“There you are,” Han said, peeling himself from his position leaning his back lazily against the Falcon. “What took you so long?”

Luke shrugged sheepishly. “Got lost.”

“Yeah, well I was starting to worry you’d got eaten.”

Chewie made a noise that was half-laugh, half-impatient inquiry as to whether or not this meant they could leave.

“What’d I say earlier?” Han said, turning to him indignantly. “Luke’s here, we’re going.”

“Going?” Luke asked, eyes widening suddenly. “What about Leia? She’s not here yet!”

Han rolled his eyes as he started up the Falcon’s ramp. “Her Worshipfulness apparently found more important things to do.”

“What?”

“She’s not coming, she’s got... something diplomatic. Didn’t pay attention to the details.”

He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or feel sorry as Luke's face fall dramatically. Talk about visible distress.

“What do you mean ‘not coming’?" he said. "Should… should we wait for her?”

Han sighed. “It’s a supply run, Luke. You can’t just postpone a supply run -- you run out of supplies. Now, you coming or not? Don’t tell me you’re bailing on me too.”

“I’m coming!” Luke said quickly, shrugging his bag on his shoulder up slightly, in what was probably an attempt to look more impressive. Needless to say, it failed.

“Good -- we’re leaving. Soon as you get inside the Falcon.”

Han shook his head slightly as he started to walk the rest of the distance up the ramp. Spending a couple days with just Luke was going to be interesting. The kid had a heart of gold -- but he wore it on his sleeve.

* * *

“I don’t understand why every single one of these supply spots has to be so damn far away,” Han muttered as he walked into the passenger area of the ship, having punched in the coordinates for their destination. He'd scanned the options Dodonna had given him, but none of theme were even in the same system. They were going to be in flight for a while, even with the Falcon's hyperdrive experiencing one of its blissful moments of complete functionality.

Realistically, he knew exactly why the rebels would pick places far away from their current base. But still felt like complaining about it.

Luke however, didn’t seem to pick up on the insinuation. “It makes it harder for them to track supply lines,” he said helpfully.

“Yeah, well it also makes them long,” Han said, deciding not to tease him for his need to interject. “We’ve got some time to kill before anything interesting happens.”

He found himself actually sharing some of the disappointment he’d been so amused by in Luke earlier. When Leia came along on these things, the time seemed to go by a lot faster. Even if it was spent bickering -- those comebacks took effort.

Of course…. there was one thing she'd forbidden him to do every time she was around the two of them. Primarily on the grounds that it would be “horrifically unfair” and “taking advantage” of the fact that a certain member of their crew couldn't lie properly to save his life.

Han felt a smile creeping across his face.

“Hey kid,” he said. “You ever wanted to learn to play sabacc?”

 


	2. Hazard

“Well all things considered, that still went pretty well, right?” Luke said half-heartedly.

“If by that you mean ‘utterly failed’ then yeah, yeah I guess it did,” Han snapped back at him. He nearly bit his lip afterwards. Annoying as the kid could get, getting mad at Luke always felt vaguely like kicking a baby ferbil. But there were times when uncompromising optimism was misplaced, and after a complete and utter failure to achieve an objective it was about the last thing he wanted to hear.

Things had started out innocently enough. But by the time they met with their “supplier” -- a nervous, jumpy-looking Twi’lek who kept glancing over his shoulder like he was being watched, Han knew something was going to go wrong. Call it smuggler’s intuition, but everything seemed… off.

Sure enough, it took about 5 minutes for him to drop formalities and for him to give Han and Luke the disappointing lecture about how Imperials had "discovered a connection” and he “wouldn’t risk their being tracked” ( _Yeah right,_ Han had thought, you mean _“your”_ ) and how he was “risking everything just talking to them” that had started becoming more and more common. It wasn’t any less frustrating this time around.

“At least he didn’t try to turn us in to anybody,” Luke said.

“Yeah, real swell guy,” Han said. “Didn’t get the people who came to him asking for help arrested. Yet.”

“Well it’s better than nothing…”

“Sometimes that’s not enough, kid. C’mon, let’s just get back to the Falcon and ditch this dump,” he muttered, kicking a pebble in front of him. It made a satisfying clatter as it hit a nearby wall.

But the minute it did so, Luke froze in his tracks.

Han looked back at him frustrated. “What now? You--”

“--Han.” Luke hissed, in the tone of voice of his that he thought was a whisper but everyone else around him didn’t have the heart to tell him wasn’t. “Something’s wrong.”

“Yeah something’s wrong, we just got cheated out of our objective. Now hurry up.”

“No, I mean something’s _wrong_ ,” Luke said, grabbing his arm to try to hold him back. Han shook him loose.

“What the hell's gotten into you?” he said.

“Han!” Luke said, getting really genuinely frustrated. “Just trust me, this _once!”_

Han was a little taken aback -- the kid had a temper, but it wasn’t one he often took out on friends. He put his hands up defensively. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry. What is it?”

Luke frowned. “I… don’t know.” He admitted. “Something just doesn’t feel _right_. I just… I have a bad feeling. It might be the Force?”

Han sighed deeply, trying not to snap again. He wanted Luke to at least know he was listening -- although believing was something else altogether. “Your crazy old friend didn’t do you any favors saying you should trust all those ‘feelings’, did he?”

But before Luke could interject, as Han knew he would have, his eyes widened in concern. “ _Han_ …” he started.

Out of nowhere, there was a shot of blaster fire in their general direction. Han whirled around, just in time for him to see five stormtroopers round the corner behind them.

“--I see ‘em, kid, I see ‘em. _Run!”_

They took off at a sprint, headed towards the docking bay where Chewbacca was waiting for them. Hopefully they could catch the ship before things went any _more_ wrong.

“ _‘I don’t want to worry about selling you boys out’_ ,” Han muttered, imitating the slightly squeaky voice of their now very former supplier as they ran. “ _‘So I’m cutting ties now’._ What, did he wait five minutes? Or was that whole conversation a scam? What'cha think? -- I’m betting it was the latter.”

Luke made a motion that looked like a nod, but it was hard to tell as they ran for their lives. 

Han struggled to try to pull his own blaster from its holster while running, hoping retaliation might get at least a few of them off their backs. But as another blast whizzed within inches of his head, he decided it wasn’t worth the effort -- focus on speed. They were almost there.

Sure enough, they turned the corner to reach the bay the Falcon was waiting in just seconds later. In case the laser fire sizzling past them wasn’t enough of a clue, Han shouted to his copilot at the top of his lungs as they drew closer.

“ _Chewie!_ We’re leaving!”

But Chewbacca, familiar enough with requiring rapid exits, was prepared. The ramp to the ship was already down, waiting for them.

They were halfway up it, the door starting to close up, when Han’s heart fell to his stomach.

There was an unmistakable noise of the firing of a blaster, and before he could register what had happened, Luke hit the ground. It was sudden, it was unexpected… and it was, whether he’d ever admit it aloud or not, terrifying.

“Luke!” he said frantically as the ramp sealed the door shut, kneeling down next to him. He knew they had to get out of there, and fast but the whole situation had suddenly scrambled his priorities.

But fortunately, it was only a few seconds later that Luke made a soft noise from the floor. A less-than-encouraging groan, but a sound nonetheless.

“Kid, can you hear me?” Han pressed, gently trying to turn him over and assess any damage done. "Tell me you can hear me."

Luke’s eyes were wide with what was probably shock, but he shook it loose quickly enough. “I can hear you, I can hear you,” he said. “Han -- we need to get going!”

Han looked at him skeptically.

“I hit the ground to avoid the shot," he said, even though as he said it he made another slight noise of pain. "It didn’t hit me, I promise. But we _need_ to get out of here.”

Han raised an eyebrow. “...You knew it was coming?”

Luke gave him a tiny smile. “Maybe not all my feelings are so crazy.”

_Or maybe you’ve got the dumbest luck in the world,_ Han thought as he got up to meet Chewbacca.

“I’m not done with you,” he said, pointing a finger at Luke, who was still on the ground. “Go sit down, check yourself over.”

“I will, I promise,” Luke said. Han wasn't sure he believed him. 

As he dashed towards the cockpit, he couldn’t quite manage to shake his feeling of concern. He tried to credit it to still-rushing adrenaline, but even he wasn't convinced. Which then of course lead to a different thought had to deal with -- when had he started worrying so much about a walking disaster of a farm kid?

 

 


	3. Ace

When Han walked into the passenger area of the _Falcon_ this time around, his eyes went to Luke immediately. The kid had pulled out the ship’s emergency first-aid kid and was attempting to rip a piece of gauze off the roll with his teeth. Badly.

Han took it from his hand gently, doing a mental scan for injuries as he did so -- he couldn’t tell what Luke was trying to treat, but it worried him all the same.

“So you _did_ manage to hurt yourself,” he teased, keeping his tone of voice casual.

“I just hurt my ankle,” Luke said indignantly. Clearly, he didn’t want to look the fool. “I think I landed on it funny when I ducked.”

“When you fell, you mean.”

Luke made a frustrated sound. “Hey, better this than a blaster wound!”

“Yeah,” Han said softly, not wanting to think about the alternative that had scared him so badly. “Yeah, it is. Good job, kid.”

He looked at him appearing deep in thought, before speaking. “Do you think this would have gone any better if Leia was here?”

“No,” Han said, frustrated that it was his turn to appear indignant. “No, I _don’t_ think she’d have made it any better.”

“But she might have been able to negotiate with the--”

“--Meh meh meh meh,” Han said, pantomiming a mouth with his hand. “Maybe if _Leia_ were here she’d have saved _everyone_. Twice.”

Luke dropped quiet. Han sighed, realizing he’d probably gotten a little too annoyed with him again.

“Look, kid, I'm sorry. But give yourself some credit -- you didn’t do half bad out there yourself. You don’t need Her Royal Highness to get you out of a scrape.”

“I just wish she’d come along,” Luke said, glancing down at his ankle.

Han gave him one of his lopsided smiles. “What, so you could use the tragic invalid situation to your advantage? Make a move? I’m sure you’ll still get to try something when you limp off the ship on arrival.”

....Actually, chances were she'd snap at Han for letting something bad happen. That's how these things usually went. He'd better start planning some comebacks.

But the kid looked back up, staring at him like he hadn’t said a single word of that in Common. Han sighed.

“You don’t have to play dumb, Luke, everybody can tell how you feel about her.”

“That I… like spending time with her?”

Han laughed. “You know, you’re allowed to say you’re interested in more than that when she’s not around.”

“....Oh,” Luke said softly, suddenly looking incredibly uncomfortable. “Is… is that what everybody thinks?”

He tapped Luke on the head. “Hello? Captain of the Millennium Falcon to Luke Skywalker? You are aware that the word ‘subtle’ isn’t in your vocabulary?”

“No no no,” Luke said, looking distressed. “I mean, maybe I’m not as good with people as… as I thought I was being but--”

Han snorted.

“--but do people really think I’m interested in her in… that way?” His face went cold. “Does _she?”_

“Kid, she’s a big girl. Princess. Whatever. I’m pretty sure she’s dealt with some guys being interested in her before. Endearing as your sweet kid deal may be, I’m pretty sure she still knows what you’re trying to do.”

“No -- but. I mean…” Luke stammered. “I thought I was acting the way friends do, isn’t that the right thing? What did I do wrong?”

Han stared at him for a second. He hesitated, then spoke. “You’re from a backwater planet, but I’m fairly certain people _flirt_ even in your part of Tatooine.”

Luke didn’t even respond, just made a frustrated sound and ran his hand through his hair.

Han looked at him quizzically. “...That _is_ what you’re going for, right?”

“No!” Luke said quickly, then hesitated. “...Yes? Maybe?” He sighed and put his head in his hands. “I don’t know.”

“Look, if you’re worried about her not liking you, I don't think that's a problem. And if you want something... you gotta take some chances.”

Luke looked like he was trying to find the words to say something, but it kept escaping him. He frowned, looked frustrated, and finally sighed.

“I don’t _know_ what I want.”

Han frowned at him. “....it’s pretty straightforward, kid. You’re interested in her or you’re not.”

…What he didn’t feel like mentioning was the hypocrisy of that statement. But come on, was bringing his feelings into anything ever a good idea? He could deal with his own opinion of the Princess later.

“But what does that _feel_ like? Everybody acts like there’s a “next step” I’m supposed to take or a 'new thing' I’m supposed to want… I like being friends with people. Getting along. Feeling like they want me around. I don't feel like something's supposed to come after that.”

Han opened his mouth to object, reassure him he didn’t need to play dumb… and reconsidered. If he’d learned anything on this trip, it was that Luke couldn’t properly lie to save his life. His bluffs were terrible, in-game _and_ out. Which meant….

He thought over his next words carefully. “You’re saying you don’t think you’re interested in relationships at all?” 

"Do you think that's wrong?" Luke asked, looking up at him.

There were a lot of things Han could have said to that. Three or four of them even ran through his head.

_I mean, I haven't necessarily heard about it happening before, but..._

_I'm not an expert on this stuff, kid, it's **your** feelings_

_What, that you're pretty different?_

But all it took for him to know what he should say, regardless of being unsure, was one look into the hopeful eyes of the kid staring up at him. He'd figure this out, someday. He was smart like that. What he needed to hear right now was that someone he was asking for advice -- that he looked up to even, though Force knows _why_ \-- wasn't going to judge him for that

"Wrong?" Han said, laughing. "You're telling me it's happening. I'm pretty sure that means it isn't 'wrong'."

Luke's eyes lit up. "You're sure?"

"We'll figure out what it is, but that thing isn't 'wrong'. I'd bet on it."

"....Han, you'll bet on anything."

He held up a finger. "I'll bet on anything I think I can call, kid. So that should tell you something."

"...That.... it's worth a lot?"

Han sighed and stared at the ceiling. He was reminded of just how hopeless Luke had proved to be at cards.

"It means," he said, ruffling Luke's hair as he looked back down at him, "that I know it's not a bluff."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aces are in fact actual cards in Sabacc decks. Do with this information what you will.


End file.
